MS Drugs Offer Hope, But Can You Afford Them?

By Mandy Crest, Health Guide Wednesday, April 16, 2008
If you have multiple sclerosis, or are married to someone with multiple sclerosis, what is your single biggest source of stress? Without a moment's hesitation, I can answer for myself and my husband. Health Insurance. Capital H, Capital I. It is that big an issue. More specifically, it is the soa...
Current Health Care System Plagues People with Multiple Sclerosis
4/17/08 8:15am

I applaud you for coninuing the effort .. but a broader spreading of the word must be done .. we write and write and it is almost predestined that it is falling on deaf ears .. the only reason health reform is a hot topic and will continue to be a hot topic is due to the elections coming up ..

 

Then it is back to business as usual .. the better way is reaching out to drug manufacturers and social serivices and local health groups that can get you advice , go to walmart , go to walgreens , and start a campaign there .. as government uses this issue only as a tool to get elected .. after all these years , as i am gettting closer to being a senior , it is the embedded seniors that out vote us .. i don't get it , but that is it, and the younger generation that is to weak in numbers to do anything .. or even care ...

 

So, while I believe in writing to whoever will listen, sometimes you gotta go straigh to the source , and if you have the strength , geta group going and picket outside a pharmacy, outside your legislators home , outside where ever and when ever , we will not get heard ... agserra

Mandy Crest, Health Guide
4/17/08 8:28am

I do agree that we must do more than write about this overwhelming problem. It also takes action!

 

Thanks,

Mandy 

4/17/08 12:03pm

I wrote a post about the assistance the drug companies offer that I was just about to submit when I saw your post. I will still post it separately in case people don't read all of your comments. Great post and very pertinant topic.

Mandy Crest, Health Guide
4/17/08 12:56pm

Thank you so much. I believe that the more information we share with each other, the better off we will all be! Perhaps we can inspire others to join in this conversation and add another point of view.

4/19/08 11:30am

Thanks Mandy.  As you can see this is a really important issue, one as you say we must insist on rectifying with government officials.  Hopefully our upcoming election will help somehow.

 

It sounds like there are some options available through assistance programs that help some folks some of the time.  But we need help for all folks all of the time.

 

I'd like to add that I think health insurance is a stress for so many out there and its time we have less stress.  Hoping to see a change soon - but we all have to do our part I guess.

 

In the meantime, I'll add a link to Kristin's post here as she provides contact info for some programs that could help people get assistance with medications.  Also thought a link to our insurance help section might be important.


All the best, sue

 

 

Anonymous
Debbie R Brown
1/ 8/09 3:41am

I was just diagonosed with MS 2 1/2 yrs ago. I took the medicine 2 times...had an allergic reaction to it. In a way, I was glad I did as it saved my husband and I $400 a month. The medication was actually $2000 a month but I do have medicare. The progression of my MS has been like nothing I had read about. Diagonosed in 2006, not working or walking by 2007 and now my eyes shake constantly. Even my optometrist says he has never seen anything like it. My head doesn't shake...but my eyeballs do. When I first found out about the MS I tried every source of place to me us pay for the medication. Like you, my husband has a SMALL business, very small - 1-3 employes. That is all any of them needed to hear and I was turned down any assistance. Living with MS is bad enough...living with the lack of care by others just made it worse.

Mandy Crest, Health Guide
1/ 8/09 3:14pm

It does not make sense that group health care (read that "affordable" health care) should be tied to employment.

 

In a country that supposedly encourages small, family-owned businesses, we manage to discourage innovation and small business by making access to quality insurance all but impossible.

 

It's definitely time for change. I hope you get your personal story out there for all the world to hear.

 

Thank you for sharing.

 

Open Letter to Barack Obama

Change.gov - Tell Us Your Story

Anonymous
Debbie R Brown
1/ 8/09 4:40pm

I was pleasantly surprised by you responding...Thank You. I guess you could say I NEEDED to vent and did so. I did go to the Obama site and send them the same info. I doubt very seriously I will hear anything from them but every one that does speak up makes a difference. Thank you again.

Debbie

Mandy Crest, Health Guide
1/ 8/09 5:24pm

Debbie,

 

No thanks are necessary. We consider this site to be a community and you are a community member. We are here to support each other... it's what we do best!

 

Hope to see you around!Smile

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By Mandy Crest, Health Guide— Last Modified: 02/24/12, First Published: 04/16/08